2009 Fall Update Magazine
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Transcript of 2009 Fall Update Magazine
A Magazine for UNBC Alumni and Friends – Fall 2009
Forests are also about people
> UNBC and the Tl’azt’en First Nation collaborate on a ground-breaking
research and education program at North America’s largest research forest.
See page 3
Fall 20091
UpFront 15 Years of Growth
On the CoverJohn Prince Research ForestThomas Alexis, Chief of the Tl’azt’en
First Nation, UNBC’s Vice President
of Research Gail Fondahl, and recent
Masters graduate Diana Kutzner, are
just a few who have benefited from
the unique research and educational
partnership between the University
and the community at the John
Prince Research Forest north of
Fort St. James.
Fall 20091
Fall Semester Student NumbersUNBC enrolment this semester is
virtually identical to last year, but
comes on the heels of a summer
session that saw the University
break the 2,000 student mark in the
summer for the first time. In fact,
the University saw a 12.8% increase
in the summer semester, due in part to a large increase in the
number of international students who visited the campus for English
language courses.
Year One
Today
Convocation 2009: Big News in TerraceUNBC’s 16th graduation was a
highlight for Terrace and for the
entire Northwest region. The
community hosted UNBC’s largest
regional convocation ceremony
ever, with 54 students crossing the
stage to receive UNBC degrees or
certificates. Among those graduating was the first group of locally
trained nurses, who attended classes in Terrace from throughout the
region. There were nine grad ceremonies and nearly 900 grads in
2009.
This year UNBC celebrates the 15th anniversary of its grand opening.
Campus Infrastructure Projects Focused on EnergyOver the past decade, hard hats, safety vests, and steel toe boots
have been almost as common on the Prince George campus
as iPods and backpacks. It’s true again, as construction is
underway on a pair of projects funded by the provincial and federal
governments.
One project has seen excavators digging a trench through the
middle of the Agora Courtyard in preparation for new pipes that
will make heating and cooling of the campus more efficient. The
creation of these new infrastructure “loops” will reduce the load on
the UNBC power plant and cut down on energy consumption as a
result.
The other project is occurring to the west of the main campus
buildings and will result in the building of a new facility to house a
biomass gasification system that will reduce UNBC’s consumption
of natural gas by around 85%. This new system will utilize wood
residues from logging and sawmills to produce a synthetic gas that
will be burned to produce heat for the main campus. It will also
serve as a platform for research and public education.
The two projects have attracted more than $20 million in funding
from the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, the Innovative
Clean Energy fund, and the Public Sector Energy Conservation
Agreement. Both will be operational by 2011, although they have
already attracted considerable national interest. Even the federal
Minister of Natural Resources visited the campus to see the work
underway for herself as UNBC continues to re-invent itself as a
model for energy efficiency and bioenergy.
One of the first pipelines, connecting the cafeteria and the library.
Bioenergy UnderwayWhile the gasification system is more than a year away from being
operational, the University’s I.K. Barber Enhanced Forestry Lab is
already being heated with wood pellets as part of a pilot project
funded by Western Economic Diversification in partnership with
the Wood Pellet Association of Canada. The project is supporting
research that is comparing wood pellets to natural gas in terms of
energy production, cost of operation, and emissions.
1990 – BC Government passes the UNBC Act, officially creating the University
2009 – first UNBC building heated with bioenergy
2009 – George Iwama installed as President
1992 – 70 students enroll in the “QuickStart” program
1994 – first graduates
1994 – Queen Elizabeth II officially opens the PG campus
1994 – 1,400 students register in the first full year of operations
1995 – Charles Jago appointed president
1998 – UNBC debuts at 9th place in the Maclean’s magazine ranking of Canadian universities
1999 – first varsity action for the UNBC basketball teams
2001 – UBC and UNBC create the Northern Medical Program
2005 – Economic impact of UNBC and the College tops $700 million
2007 – Opening of the Northern Sport Centre
2008 – UNBC tops $100 million in research funding to date
Just as a tree grows out from its centre, so has UNBC. Whether it is the campus buildings
built around the central Agora Courtyard or the network of regional campuses, UNBC has
seen remarkable growth over the past 15 years. Imagine what the future has in store!
Fall 2009 2
I n 1994, a Memorandum of
Understanding was drafted between the
Tl’azt’en First Nation (pronounced “Klaz-
den”) and the University of Northern BC.
With that, the John Prince Research Forest
(JPRF) was born.
Situated 50 kilometres north of Fort St.
James, the JPRF lies between Lakes
Chuzghun (Tezzeron) and Tesgha (Pinchi) in
traditional Tl’azt’en territory. At 13 thousand
hectares, it is the largest research forest on
the continent (more than 32 times the size of
Stanley Park) and the only one that is jointly
managed by a university and a First Nations
community.
“It is a unique place in many respects,”
says Forest Manager Sue Grainger. “It is a
kind of living laboratory where the blend of
traditional and western scientific approaches
to conservation and resource management
provides opportunities for unique
collaborations between the University and
the local First Nations community.”
One of the research projects that exemplifies
this opportunity is the UNBC-Tl’azt’en First
Nation Community University Research
Alliance (CURA) project. Research in CURA
focuses on co-management, environmental
monitoring, traditional ecological knowledge,
cultural education, and aboriginal
ecotourism. Management of the research
is shared between Tl’azt’en and University
participants, with Tl’azt’en members acting
as co-researchers and co-authors on all of
the studies. Researchers have produced
dozens of publications: journal articles,
booklets, DVDs, and technical reports – all
for the benefit of research and the Tl’azt’en
people.
“The Tl’azt’en community developed
the research questions they wanted the
University to answer,” says Gail Fondahl,
UNBC’s Vice-President of Research, and
the project’s first Principal Investigator. “And
they were interested in more than academic
publications: they wanted products and
opportunities they could use in the long run.
Recently, our researchers have become
more reliant on Tl’azt’en knowledge as well.
The goal is to revitalize the environmental
connectivity of local people while
demonstrating a progressive method of
forest management.”
Researchers have equipped Tl’azt’en
hunters, trappers, gatherers, and fishers
with survey tools so they can collect
their own environmental data as they
participate in traditional activities on the
land. The data is then used by Tl’azt’en
and University researchers to understand
environmental change in the area, improve
forest management, and contribute to
sustainability.
“The Tl’azt’en have a deep knowledge of
environmental monitoring, sustainability,
and resource management,” says current
Principal Investigator Pam Wright. “Pinchi
Lake had a mine beside it – how do you
determine its environmental impact?
A typical researcher might take water
samples, and examine the mercury level in
the lake’s fish, but forests are also about
people. Tl’azt’en researchers want to know
about the human element: Are the fish safe
to eat? Do they still taste good? How is the
ecosystem across the territory affected?”
Tl’azt’en Chief Thomas Alexis says the
project has been a real benefit to his
community. “We have had dozens of UNBC
students and Tl’azt’en youth working,
researching, and learning together. Our
young people gain education and work
experience and learn about culture and
values. They also learn ways to be more
sustainable, and how to manage industries
such as Aboriginal Tourism.”
The University students work under the
tutelage of the Tl’azt’en elders as well as
their UNBC professors. Many are headed for
careers in resource management, planning,
research, education, or outdoor recreation
and tourism management.
“We have been able to open up more
than 30 kilometres of ancient trails, and
reconstruct traditional pit houses and
caches, but this isn’t just about
our history,” says Chief Alexis.
“Collaborating with scientists
and conducting our own
research provides new
and exciting ways to
embrace the future.”
Collaborating with scientists and conducting our own research is providing new and exciting ways to embrace the future.
A Living Laboratory
UNBCResearch
Sharing a birthday with UNBC.
Tl’azt’en Counsellor Bev John conducts a course on traditional Tl’azt’en forest values.
1. Prince George2. John Prince Research Forest
Location & Facts
JPRF Manager Sue Grainger inspects a traditional Tl’azt’en pit house.
2
1• At 32 times the size of Stanley
Park, it is the largest research forest in North America
• Lies 40 minutes north of Fort St. James between Lakes Chuzghun (Tezzeron) and Tesgha (Pinchi) in traditional Tl’azt’en territory
• The only research forest in North America jointly managed by a university and a First Nations community
We have had dozens of UNBC students and young Tl’azt’en youth working, researching, and learning together.
Fall 2009 4Fall 20093
Fall 20095
AlumniNews Events &
UNBCAlumni
On May 14 1994, before the Prince George campus had even been officially opened, UNBC had its first graduates. Margaret Bathy, Diana Gilbert, Myron Gordon, Kari Stedham, Jackie Watson, and Nikki Beach (nee Yandeau), all participants in the University’s QuickStart program, were awarded their BA General degrees. Fifteen years later, this convocation photo still hangs at UNBC, passed in the halls by the more than 7,500 graduates who were to follow.
The graduating class of 2009 was UNBC’s largest to date with nearly 900 graduates, bringing the total number of alumni to more than 7,500.
UNBC Alumni
A Northern Collaboration
Get involved with the UNBC Alumni Association! Call 250-960-5873, email [email protected], follow us on Twitter, or become a “UNBC Fan” on Facebook.
Alumni and friends enjoy a night of wine and chocolate (top). Alumni battle it out against the current UNBC Timberwolves (bottom).
UNBCAlumni
“ The learning and interaction with the students and faculty
at UNBC taught me to think at a different level,” says Cathy
Ulrich, a 2009 recipient of one of UNBC’s “Alumni of the Year”
awards. “It enhanced my knowledge of leadership, health care
systems, and northern and rural health issues.”
Cathy Ulrich has a unique perspective on how to meet the health
care needs of northerners. After obtaining a Nursing degree from
the University of Alberta in 1981, Ulrich worked as a health care
practitioner across the north of western Canada before settling in
BC.
Ulrich, who was born in Medicine Hat, worked in Terrace for ten
years in areas of increasing responsibility before accepting the
position of Regional Director of Community Health Services in Prince
George at the Northern Interior Health Unit. It was also in Terrace
that she became aware of UNBC’s then newly-created master’s
degree program in Community Health Sciences.
“At UNBC, I learned from the best,” says Ulrich. “The high quality
instruction and research facilities gave me the tools I needed to be
analytical, and increased my understanding of the type and variety
of health services that are possible in the North.”
Soon after graduation, she was named Vice President of Clinical
Services at Northern Health, where she says she came to the table
armed with the knowledge and experience gained at UNBC.
“Northern Health and UNBC enjoy a fantastic collaboration. The
University educates nurses, health practitioners, social workers,
psychologists, and physicians, while Northern Health provides
placements for many of these students. This ensures that as
many as possible remain in the North,” says Ulrich. “We work with
their first-rate researchers to gain the new knowledge and new
approaches we need to ensure a dynamic and responsive system to
provide for the needs of northern people.”
Cathy Ulrich became President and Chief Executive Officer of
Northern Health in 2007. As one of five health authorities in
BC, Northern Health provides health services to nearly 300,000
residents of northern BC.
Benjamin Damm (BSc. Computer Science
’04) is a Senior Software Engineer with
Silver Spring Networks, a leading developer
of wireless networks. He lives in California.
Kiranjit Sidhu (BSc. Computer Science
’04) lives in Redwood California and works
in nearby Palo Alto at the head office
of Facebook. “I have been working at
Facebook for two years now,” says Sidhu.
“It has been an amazing time.”
George Forrest (BSc. Chemistry ’01) is an
Oral Surgeon with the Canadian Forces. He
was recently selected to begin residency
at the University of Texas in Houston and is
scheduled to graduate in 2013.
Sarah Carr-Locke (MA. Anthropology
and History ’04) has been Assistant to the
Director of the Museum of Anthropology at
UBC for the past three years. She plans to
begin her PhD studies in the Fall of 2010.
UNBC grad Cathy Ulrich collaborates with her University to provide quality health care for Northern BC. At UNBC, I
learned from the best.
This year’s Alumni Homecoming was
a great success. We brought together
alumni, current students, faculty, staff,
and community members for a variety of
sophisticated, educational, and fun filled
events, many of which sold out well in
advance. Mark your calendars for next
year’s Homecoming, September 24 &
25, 2010.
A Few Fond Founding Memories…
Of her time at UNBC, Diana Gilbert
(who now lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario)
remembers drawing a portrait of the
Honourable Iona Campagnolo, UNBC’s
founding Chancellor. Campagnolo, the
first female Lieutenant-Governor of
British Columbia, recently donated her
archival records to UNBC. Margaret
Bathy remembers naming the University
newspaper after the way the hill above
University Way kept crumbling over the
edge of the road. Today, “Over the Edge” is
still the University’s student-run newspaper
and Margaret’s son recently graduated from
her alma mater. Kari Stedham recalls she
was often the only student attending UNBC
classes in Terrace. This year, the Terrace
campus celebrated the largest regional
graduation in the University’s history with 54
graduates. Stedham is now a kindergarten
teacher and lives in Quesnel.
Original 6
Fall 2009 6
Fall 20097
UNBCGiving
Givingto UNBC
Sowing the Seeds for a Prosperous Future
UNBC DonationsOffice of University Advancement
UNBC, 3333 University WayPrince George, BC V2N 4Z9
Phone: 250-960-5750Toll-free: 1-866-960-5750Email: [email protected]
We are located in Room 1065 on the main floor of the Administration building.
www.unbc.ca/giving
UNBC Donors: Making a Difference
Ryan Schroeder, donor and former Alumni Association president.
The Endowment Roller-CoasterVolatile is the understatement of the year
when describing the recent performance
of financial markets. Unfortunately, UNBC’s
endowment fund has not been immune.
By the end of the last fiscal year in March,
the endowment fund – interest from which
supports nearly 200 awards per year – had
lost nearly 17% of its value. These returns,
coupled with the need to preserve the
capital in perpetuity, prompted the UNBC
Board of Governors to reduce the annual
pay-out from the endowment. To date, the
University has withdrawn 5% of the market
value of the endowment to fund student
awards; going forward, the rate will be
3.5%.
The reduced spending rate is not affecting
students this year. To make up the
difference, some donors have increased
their support and the University is dipping
into its privately donated discretionary fund,
built from annual donations to address areas
of greatest need. For more information
about the revised endowment fund policy,
contact the Advancement Office.
Investing in a New NorthThe Northern Development Initiatives
Trust (NDIT) is supporting UNBC’s efforts
to strengthen the connection between
researchers and the economic development
of the region. The idea of the New North
Foundation was unveiled in January and
has caught on with communities throughout
the region. In fact, a workshop on the topic
in May attracted more than 60 mayors
and councilors. The NDIT has provided
up to $20,000 to support the New North
Foundation feasibility study.
Giving…and GettingRyan Schroeder has had a relationship with
UNBC at multiple levels: student, employee,
Alumni Association president, donor. His
current employer, TELUS, also has a long
history of supporting UNBC. Today, they’re
maximizing their support for UNBC by
working together. Ryan has been making
monthly donations to UNBC since 2004
and has been part of TELUS’s matching
program for the past year. Under the
arrangement, every dollar Ryan donates to
UNBC is matched by TELUS. Other major
employers with matching grant programs
include Spectra Energy, BMO Bank of
Montreal, and Rio Tinto Alcan.
“The matching grant program is a huge
incentive to donate to UNBC, but I was a
donor before I started working for TELUS,”
says Ryan, who is a graduate of both the
Computer Science and MBA programs. “A
number of us Computer Science alumni
created a scholarship because we could
really appreciate the needs of students. It
feels good to know you’re helping people
out.”
15 Years of Awards
Medical Program SuccessesSix years since the start of the Northern
Medical Programs Trust (NMPT), the number
of communities that have fulfilled their
pledges has grown to one dozen. Dawson
Creek and Hazelton are the latest to reach
their fundraising targets, pushing the total
raised to date to over $6 million. In fact,
Dawson Creek’s contribution to the NMPT
in the summer was the largest received from
a municipality outside of Prince George. The
NMPT is providing about $70,000 in student
awards this year, mostly supporting medical
students who are completing placements in
rural communities.
Filipino Student AwardIt took them four years of fundraising,
but the Prince George Filipino-Canadian
Association has created a $10,000
endowment fund to support UNBC students
of Filipino descent. The announcement
was made at a celebration to mark the
111th anniversary of independence for the
Philippines; a fitting way to mark the past by
investing in the future.
These UNBC grads recently completed their first year of studies in the Northern Medical Program.
• By 1994, there were 30 endowed
student awards created.
• In the following 15 years, another 320
awards have been established.
• An investment of a dollar a day since
1994 would now be worth $10,545.
“ 15 years ago, northern BC changed
forever,” says Graeme Johnstone,
reminiscing about the grand opening of the
University in 1994. Shortly after, he started
an annual tradition that he continues today:
supporting UNBC and its students. “In
making contributions to UNBC over the
last 15 years, my late wife and I decided
in the beginning that – while all options
are important – it is, first and foremost,
necessary to get students to enter the
University.”
Graeme attended Cambridge University in
the years immediately following World War
II. “I was fortunate that I had an ex-service
grant, a County grant, and my own savings
so that when I graduated, I owed nothing.
That doesn’t really seem to be possible
anymore: the costs are so high that virtually
all graduates are saddled with large debts.”
Yet, it is precisely those graduates who will
have a tremendous effect on the continued
economic, cultural, and social development
of the northern region. Graeme himself is
a case in point. Long before the 100 mile
diet and farmers’ markets were all the rage,
Graeme was a dairy and crop specialist
in northern BC, working with farmers
and researchers on sustaining local food
production. It was his university education
that gave him the opportunity to be the
district agriculturalist based in Smithers and
make a significant contribution to supporting
local farmers over more than 40 years.
“Today’s university students are the ones
who will have to address the food security
issues of tomorrow,” says Graeme, but
UNBC grads will be involved in issues
beyond agriculture. “My wife and I believed
that the students who remained at home
through their university education would end
up being a far more sophisticated group,
capable of analyzing their actions and taking
responsibility for them. We wanted to give
them every opportunity to make a difference
in their communities, and not permit lack of
finances to be a criterion for attending our
university.”
We wanted to give students every opportunity to make a difference in their communities.
Fall 2009 8
Fall 20099 Fall 2009 10
UNBCPeople
A Dream
Fulfilled
UNBCPeople
People in the News
Master of Education graduate Judy Polysou at Convocation 2009
www.unbc.ca/releases
P rince George resident Judy Polysou always had
a dream of becoming a high school counselor.
This was why, nearly twenty years ago, she drove down
to Pine Centre Mall to make a donation to help facilitate
the building of a new, northern university to be based in
her city. A few years later, a severe health scare made
her realize it was time to act on her dream – and that she
was glad she made her donation. In May, 2008, at age
52, having attended UNBC part-time while working and
raising two children, Judy received her masters degree
in Education. Judy is currently a Counselor at College
Heights Secondary. Both her kids attend UNBC.
Rising StarsUNBC Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology student Chris Uy took
home first place in his category
at the Rising Stars of Research
competition at UBC matching
the success of Gareth Hopkins
who placed first in the contest’s
“Discovery” division in 2008. The
competition is limited to 100 of the top undergraduate researchers
in science and engineering from across Canada.
River Water FluctuationsResearch by UNBC Environmental
Science and Engineering professor
Stephen Déry has verified that
global warming is causing
significant variations in the volume
of water flowing in Canada’s
northern waterways. A recently
published study led by Dr. Déry and partners at Princeton University
indicates that global warming is causing river flows to intensify. “If
rivers are the veins of Canada, we’re having some pretty dramatic
blood pressure fluctuations.” says Dr. Déry.
Genome ProjectResearchers at UNBC are studying
the Mountain Pine Beetle, its
relationship to the pine trees it
attacks, and the fungal pathogens
that help the insect overcome a
tree’s natural defenses. The goal of
the work is a better understanding
of how to predict where potential
supplies of bioenergy feed stocks may be located. The project
is part of an inter-university study funded by Genome Canada,
Genome BC, and Genome Alberta.
UNBC HeroConsider the story of Rose Higgins:
Dropped out of school in Grade 6.
Married at 14. Two children by 15.
Caring and providing for a
husband felled by a stroke at 30.
An education never seemed in
the cards – that is, until she found
UNBC’s new Business Leadership
Certificate Program in Quesnel. “Getting the certificate gave me a
new love for learning,” says Rose, who co-manages the Barkerville
Campground. “Graduation was the best day of my life.”
Inuit Food SecurityUNBC postdoctoral fellow Sonia
Wesche took home second prize at
an International Health Conference
for her presentation on the impact
of climate change on Inuit food
security. Dr. Wesche is a Research
Associate in UNBC’s Community
Health Sciences Program.
Rally 4 RecoveryWhen UNBC Social Work student
Tara Levis lost a friend to anorexia
nervosa, she combined her grief
with her passion for road biking
and Rally 4 Recovery was born.
Levis rode from Prince George
to Maple Ridge in BC's Lower
Mainland to increase public
awareness of eating disorders as a serious issue affecting today's
young people. There, she also volunteers for the Looking Glass
Foundation, an organization advocating the Canadian government
to fund a residential treatment facility for people who suffer from
eating disorders.
Max Blouw HonouredUNBC's founding Vice President of
Research, Dr. Max Blouw, who was
instrumental in securing a research
centre near the community of
Likely, BC, was honoured on
August 8th by having the centre
renamed the Dr. Max Blouw
Quesnel River Research Centre.
PICS PicksThree grad students at UNBC were
among 22 researchers to receive
new or extended fellowships from
the Pacific Institute of Climate
Solutions (PICS). Graduate Student
Alex Schare was awarded a
fellowship for his research into the
relationship between air traffic and
climate change in BC. Previous recipients Ian Picketts and Kathryn
Hrinkevich received additional funding for their work studying the
climate change adaptation of BC municipalities and pine beetle
outbreaks, respectively.
Nursing AwardUNBC Nursing grad Lisa Sam
scored a major achievement this
past summer. She was selected
by Health Canada among 1,200
nurses working on reserves to
receive an award of excellence.
She is working at the Nak’azdli
Health Clinic in Fort St. James, BC.
Fall 2009 11
FinalWord
UPDATE is produced by UNBC’s Office of Communications in April and October and printed on 100% recycled paper. www.unbc.ca/update
George Iwama holds a PhD in Zoology from UBC where he was a professor for 15 years. He comes to UNBC after spending two years as the Dean of Science at Carleton University. Dr. Iwama was officially installed as UNBC’s fourth president on October 16, 2009.
LookingForward A n anniversary is a time to reminisce, but also a time to look
forward. Although my experience at UNBC is still limited, it
has been rich enough to predict nothing but the best.
Today, UNBC is grounded in the things that matter to the North
and to our global society. In 15 years, the world will be warmer,
security will be a larger issue, food will be scarcer, economies will
be even more global, renewing energy sources will be imperative,
and the North will be more important than ever. This is the world our
University and graduates will inhabit.
I have initiated a new University planning process to ensure we set
off in the right direction. Let us consider the next 15 years and what
might be in store.
To start with, UNBC has the potential
to be the first carbon-neutral
university in Canada but getting there
is up to us.
We currently have more than 7,500
grads. Within 15 years, we will pass
the 20,000 mark. Imagine how their
enthusiasm, commitment, and knowledge will change the region
and the world. One of our grads could be the Prime Minister of
Canada.
We will have created a world-class Wood Innovation and Design
Centre. The supporting academic programs, such as Engineering,
the Fine Arts, and perhaps Architecture, will showcase this region as
a global contributor of lumber and a major centre of inspiration for
how to optimize value from the forest.
Bringing home a provincial title and successfully hosting a national
championship within barely a year makes me confident that the
rafters of the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre will boast at least
one national championship banner within fifteen years time.
This past year, the University was named one of Canada’s
“Research Universities of the Year” by the National Post and
Ottawa Citizen. We also placed
among the best in BC according
to the Globe and Mail’s University
Report Card. Maclean’s had us at
number two among 22 primarily
undergraduate universities nation-
wide. If they expanded their categories
to include partnerships, First Nations
participation, and community
economic development, I am confident we would place first in each
new category and overall.
These are just a few great things I know we can achieve.
So where do you want this university to be?
Please visit www.unbc.ca/plan and give your ideas. The decisions
we make today must continue to make us respected, relevant, and
responsive to the needs of society.
These are just a few great things I know we can achieve.
Written by: George Iwama